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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29864199">I'm Sorry, Tiger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DjDangerLove/pseuds/DjDangerLove'>DjDangerLove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tarlos March Madness [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Food Poisoning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sick Fic, Vomiting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:07:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29864199</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DjDangerLove/pseuds/DjDangerLove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>TK gets food poisoning. Carlos takes care of him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tarlos March Madness [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189232</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>270</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'm Sorry, Tiger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I just want to say thank you for all the love and support you gave to the last fic. I was nervous about posting it as it felt a little too personal, but the response to it was unexpected and I'm immensely grateful for how kind all of you were. So thank you!🖤</p>
<p>Tarlos March Madness #5 of 31</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Carlos had bought the house, his mother had told him the bathroom was too small. He’d rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he hugged her, and put it down to her being nervous about such a big purchase on his own. </p>
<p>Now though, sitting on the bathroom floor wedged between the vanity and the toilet, he knows she was right. The only thing more uncomfortable than sitting through one of his mother’s “I told you so” speeches is the toilet paper holder currently digging into his back and the pungent smell of vomit coating the air. Despite it all, he’s exactly where he wants to be in a situation like this. </p>
<p>“Feeling any better?” He asks, brushing his fingers through TK’s sweaty hair as the man rests his head against the toilet seat between them in a moment of respite. He gets a tortured moan in response and winces sympathetically as TK shifts his arms around his stomach. “I’m sorry, Tiger.”</p>
<p>“You should be. Any respectable person would know not to eat sushi from a food truck.”</p>
<p>“Hey, Manny’s sushi has been a staple in Austin since I was a kid,” Carlos scoffs, offended on Manny’s behalf. </p>
<p>“Which means you’ve built up an immunity to it. God, I think I’m dying,” TK’s voice echoes in the bowl as he leans over to dry heave again. </p>
<p>“That’s unfortunate, we didn’t get to finish the last season of the Great British Bake Off.” Carlos teases, leaning forward despite feeling queasy at the smell to rub his hand on TK’s shoulder. “You won’t hold it against me if I finish it after you’re gone, will you?”</p>
<p>TK’s startled laugh breaks off into another whimper. “Oh, please don’t make me laugh.”</p>
<p>“Sorry.” Carlos is genuine, but he smiles all the same when TK’s head rolls along the rim to peek at him with a squinted eye against the overhead light of the bathroom. “I wish there was something I could do to help you feel better.”</p>
<p>TK tries to mirror his grin, but it’s pained. “You are.”</p>
<p>Carlos pushes up to the balls of his feet, back popping in places he never knew it could after being cramped for so long, and kisses the crown of his head. “Still.”</p>
<p>He moves to stand up to get a washcloth from under the sink to dampen it, but TK’s clammy fingers encircle his wrist. “Hey, you know I don’t really blame you, right? I was just kidding. I-“</p>
<p>Carlos gently shakes him off, but puts his hand on top of TK’s head. “Relax. I know.”</p>
<p>TK starts to say something, but the words get lost in another bout of dry heaving. Carlos scrunches his nose as he makes quick work of getting a washcloth and running it under cool water from the sink. TK’s resting the side of his face against the rim and trying to catch his breath when Carlos kneels down next to him again. </p>
<p>TK blinks blearily at him as he runs the cloth along his brow and down his neck. He knows TK can’t be any more comfortable than he was crumpled up on the bathroom floor as he is, so he runs the cloth through one more pass across his face and asks, “You think you’re ready to move to the couch? You’ll be more comfortable and I’ll bring the trash can from in here in case you feel sick again.”</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>He helps TK to his feet, steadying him at the visible sight of his legs shaking. He tosses the washcloth into the shower to deal with later and picks up the small garbage can with an empty bag in it from the corner. “Come on,” he says, as he guides TK from the bathroom to the couch out in the living room. </p>
<p>TK flops onto the couch with a groan, immediately bundling himself up in the blanket from the back of it before taking the trash can from Carlos and setting it in his lap. He looks up at Carlos with a pleading expression. </p>
<p>“Alright,” Carlos huffs with amusement coloring his voice. “Let me at least light a candle in the bathroom, first. Then, I’ll come sit with you.”</p>
<p>“Hurry back so we can finish the British Bake Off before you betray me in my death.”</p>
<p>“Too bad you can’t rid yourself of the dramatics the same way you got rid of the bad sushi.”</p>
<p>The pillow that gets throw at the back of his head as he walks back to the bathroom is totally worth it.</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>“No! Nope, you gotta turn it! I can’t!” TK shouts, startling Carlos into dropping the remote to floor. He bends down to retrieve it with a glare in TK’s direction as the man gags into the little trash can in his lap.</p>
<p>“They’re just baking cookies.”</p>
<p>“With coconut shavings,” TK yells into the bin, making his voice that much louder. “It looks a lot like rice after you’ve thrown it up.”</p>
<p>Carlos’ face twists into one of disgust and he changes the channel. “Fine! There. Happy? People building houses, painting walls. Or do you have another lovely comparison to share with the room?”</p>
<p>TK grins a bit sheepishly, face peaked and eyes sunken, looking every bit pitiful and Carlos melts with a sigh. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”</p>
<p>TK hugs the little trash can a bit tighter, but not in a way indicating he’s about to need it. Carlos reaches out and tugs him into his side. “But I hope you know I love more than anything anyway.”</p>
<p>TK is warm against him, his arms abandoning the trash bin in favor of hugging Carlos around the waist. His fingers hit a sore spot from where the toilet paper holder had dug into his back from earlier, and he’s reminded of how right his mother had been that the bathroom in his house was too small. He drops a kiss to TK’s head at the thought, silently hoping that one day they’ll be house hunting together, and maybe, just maybe his mom will be there to make sure their bathroom isn’t too small.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Kudos are appreciated. Comments are food.<br/>Come find me on tumblr @ DjDangerLove</p></blockquote></div></div>
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